How iOS 26 message filtering may affect you - and what you can do about it

iOS 26, slated for public release in September 2025, introduces new message filters—including separate “Unknown Senders” and “Spam” tabs—that may affect how recipients see your messages. This article explains what’s changing, how it may impact your campaigns, and practical steps you can take to maintain reach and engagement using Text-Em-All.

What is changing in iOS 26?

Screen Unknown Senders: Messages from numbers not saved to a user’s Contacts—and without prior conversation—are automatically sent to an “Unknown Senders” folder, muted by default.
Spam Filtering: Suspected spam or phishing is redirected to a “Spam” folder, also without alerts.
Folder Menu & Category Controls: A new filter menu lets users browse Messages, Unknown Senders, Spam, Recently Deleted, and Unread. Users can choose to allow notifications for categories like Time-Sensitive, Personal, Transactions, and Promotions—though marketing messages may be muted unless time-sensitive.
Time-Sensitive Exemptions: Verification codes and urgent alerts may appear in the main inbox for about one hour, even from unknown numbers, but often without sound or haptic alerts.
Default Settings: Spam filtering defaults to on, while Screen Unknown Senders is off by default—except in Brazil, India, and China.

Why it matters to Text-Em-All users

Visibility vs. Deliverability: Messages still deliver, but if recipients don’t check the Unknown or Spam folders, visibility suffers.
Double Opt-In Risks: Confirmation messages sent immediately after signup may land unseen, preventing opt-in completion.
Livestream & Emergency Alerts: Time-sensitive messages may still reach the main inbox, but lack of notification may delay awareness.
Political & High-Volume Campaigns: Campaigns relying on unsolicited texts may see reduced engagement. National Republican committee warned of major fundraising loss.

How to adapt—and what Text-Em-All does to help

A. Encourage contacts to save your number or mark as “known”

Prompt subscribers (e.g., “Save this number so you don’t miss updates.”) early in onboarding.
Use contact-card features where possible to make saving easier.

B. Use clear, trustworthy sender names and short codes

Verified Sender IDs or short codes are more likely to be recognized and not filtered.

C. Clearly label key messages as time-sensitive or transactional

Position critical texts—like alerts or confirmations—as time-sensitive in tone and phrasing.

D. Design opt-in flows to require a response (two-way)

Encourage subscribers to reply to your first message (e.g., “Reply YES to confirm”), which helps mark the thread as “known.”

E. Add a simple help message

E.g., “If you don’t see our texts, check your ‘Unknown Senders’ folder—or reply to this message to mark us as known.”

Need a hand?

If you’re unsure how to adjust a template or flow, reach out to our friendly support team. We can walk you through making your communications as visible and reliable as possible—even under iOS 26.

At Text-Em-All, we’re here to help you connect clearly, warmly, and responsibly—with every message that matters.